Swedish university staff visit Plymouth to discuss social work

A PAIR of staff members from a Swedish University are in the city this week as part of an ongoing partnership discussing social work.
Earlier this year Selwyn Stanley, a PhD lecturer in social work at Plymouth University, was invited to Umea University as part of the Erasmus exchange programme.

He spent a week there with staff and students, and this week sees the return trip.

Cristine Isaksson and Maria Berg, from the department of social work at Umea University, arrived in Plymouth on Monday.

Their itinerary includes visits to Cornwall College in Camborne, Plymouth Guild’s Guild House centre in Mannamead, Plymouth Mind and meetings with university staff.

On Friday (15) they are due to visit Trevi House drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre and Start (Students and Refugees Together) to meet with staff and students.

Cristine Isaksson has worked in different rural communities in the north of sweden, as a refugee co-ordinator and school headmaster.

She is currently working on a thesis on the role of the school social worker, focusing on how social workers experience socialisation in school and how this affects professional identity.

Maria Berg is a study administrator at the department of social work at Umea University, and she is responsible for the administration of courses in English and Swedish.

Plymouth Guild chief executive George Plenderleith said: “What it means to us is it’s another addition to the working relationship we have got with universities, in terms of student placements at the Guild. It’s an opportunity for them to come and see us and to develop the relationship. In the future we may be looking to get some students over from Sweden.”